Gnocchi are one of the most popular dishes in Italy. They pair beautifully with almost any sauce, cook quickly, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

The main ingredient is potatoes, and when it comes to gnocchi, the older, the better. Yellow-fleshed potatoes contain less water, so you need less flour to make a light, soft dough. So, if your potatoes have seen better days, don’t throw them away, turn them into delicious homemade gnocchi instead.

Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins

  • 500 g yellow-flesh potatoes, preferably older ones

  • 200 g Italian 00 flour, plain flour or all-purpose flour

  • ½ tsp salt

Method

1. Cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and boil them in a large pot of salted water for about 30 minutes, or until tender. They are ready when a knife slides easily through them.

2. Make the dough
Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. Mash them thoroughly using a potato masher. If you don’t have one, a fork will do the job too – just make sure the potatoes are well mashed and free of large lumps. Transfer them to a lightly floured work surface, add the flour, and salt, and knead gently until you have a smooth, cohesive dough.

Don’t worry if a tiny piece of potato sneaks through – homemade gnocchi don’t have to be perfect!

3. Shape the gnocchi
Divide the dough into three portions. Roll each portion into a long rope about 1.5–2 cm thick, then cut into pieces about 2 cm long.

4. Give the gnocchi their traditional shape
Use a rigagnocchi, the traditional wooden board with ridges used to shape gnocchi and create their characteristic grooves. If you don’t have a rigagnocchi, simply use the tines of a fork.

5. Cook the gnocchi
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi in batches. After about 1–2 minutes, they will rise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and serve with your favourite sauce.

 

 

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